Shohei Ohtani has undoubtedly been the best player in Major League Baseball over the past five years. The two-way superstar has put himself in a prime position to claim his fourth MVP title this year.
Ohtani has reached several milestones since joining the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million deal ahead of the 2024 campaign. Among other feats, he became the first player to have a 50-50 season in the game’s history.
Shohei Ohtani Puts Himself in Rare Company With Mike Trout and Joe DiMaggio
On Wednesday, the Dodgers recorded a 5-2 victory against the San Diego Padres to take the three-game series at Petco Park. Ohtani went 1-5 in the game, hitting a triple in the ninth inning before scoring the final run for his team.
It was already his 39th extra-base hit of the year and his fifth triple, with more than half the season still left to play. Ohtani has now recorded at least five triples in five consecutive seasons, while he has already racked up more than 20 home runs.
According to MLB insider Alden Gonzalez of ESPN, the three-time MVP has again put himself in rarefied company. His feat matched his former Los Angeles Angels teammate and New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio.
“Shohei Ohtani is already the first player with five consecutive seasons of 5 triples and 20 homers since Mike Trout from 2012 to 2016,” Gonzalez tweeted. “He’ll eventually become the first since Joe DiMaggio (1937 to 1941) with five straight 30-homer, 5-triple seasons.”
Shohei Ohtani is already the first player with five consecutive seasons of 5 triples and 20 homers since Mike Trout from 2012 to 2016, according to @ESPNStatsInfo. He’ll eventually become the first since Joe DiMaggio (1937 to 1941) with five straight 30-homer, 5-triple seasons.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) June 11, 2025
The Japanese superstar spent the first six seasons of his MLB career as a teammate of Trout and won the American League Rookie of the Year in 2018. However, they enjoyed little success as a team and failed to reach the postseason during their time together.
In stark contrast, his time with the Dodgers has been littered with individual and team success. Ohtani experienced the postseason for the first time and won the National League pennant and the World Series.
On the other hand, Ohtani was unanimously voted the National League MVP after posting 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases in the regular season. He became only the second player to win the award in both leagues after Hall of Famer Frank Robinson.
At the moment, Ohtani is on pace to win the NL MVP once again. He has a .290/.383/.625 slash line at present with 11 stolen bases, 23 home runs, and an OPS+ of 185, besides 3.2 bWAR for the season.
However, after undergoing elbow surgery following his final season with the Angels, the four-time All-Star has not pitched for the Dodgers yet. It remains to be seen what effect a return to the mound will have on his offensive production.